FB reminded me to wish a friend who died suddenly recently happy birthday today.
I wrote on his timeline: RIP 🙏🙏🙏
"ASEAN’s overall prospects promising, but there are challenges: PM Lee
SINGAPORE: ASEAN’s overall prospects are “promising” and the 10-member grouping could collectively be the world’s fourth largest economy by 2030, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Thursday (Nov 15).
But, there are several challenges the regional bloc has to confront, he told reporters at a press conference following the close of the 33rd ASEAN Summit.
Mr Lee pointed out that the free and open, rules-based multilateral order that has underpinned the 10-member regional grouping’s growth and stability is fraying, and "big power competition" is pulling member states in different directions.
Furthermore, there are non-traditional, transnational issues such as digital technologies and climate change, and these require “closer cooperation”, he added.
Asked where he hopes to see ASEAN in a decade’s time, Mr Lee outlined three broad goals: To accelerate current economic integration, enhance ASEAN centrality and unity, and equip ASEAN’s people with the skills needed for new jobs in the digital economy.
Mr Lee said while it is “very desirable” for the grouping not to have to take sides, the circumstances may come when ASEAN “may have to choose one or the other”. “I hope it does not happen soon,” he added."
Good points on: 1. need to stay as a united bloc to hv it's voice heard with other country or bloc; 2. balance between the USA n China as Asean; 3. digitizing as Asean instead of unique i individual country to reap the benefits of uniformity n ease to scale up!
All are very difficult to manage as the 10 members r at different level of development n may be tempted to side one super power over the other for individual country's gains!!
It has shown itself in the recent inability to issue a common united communique on South China Seas struggle with China.
Let's see how the politics will work out!!
I wrote on his timeline: RIP 🙏🙏🙏
"ASEAN’s overall prospects promising, but there are challenges: PM Lee
SINGAPORE: ASEAN’s overall prospects are “promising” and the 10-member grouping could collectively be the world’s fourth largest economy by 2030, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Thursday (Nov 15).
But, there are several challenges the regional bloc has to confront, he told reporters at a press conference following the close of the 33rd ASEAN Summit.
Mr Lee pointed out that the free and open, rules-based multilateral order that has underpinned the 10-member regional grouping’s growth and stability is fraying, and "big power competition" is pulling member states in different directions.
Furthermore, there are non-traditional, transnational issues such as digital technologies and climate change, and these require “closer cooperation”, he added.
Asked where he hopes to see ASEAN in a decade’s time, Mr Lee outlined three broad goals: To accelerate current economic integration, enhance ASEAN centrality and unity, and equip ASEAN’s people with the skills needed for new jobs in the digital economy.
Mr Lee said while it is “very desirable” for the grouping not to have to take sides, the circumstances may come when ASEAN “may have to choose one or the other”. “I hope it does not happen soon,” he added."
Good points on: 1. need to stay as a united bloc to hv it's voice heard with other country or bloc; 2. balance between the USA n China as Asean; 3. digitizing as Asean instead of unique i individual country to reap the benefits of uniformity n ease to scale up!
All are very difficult to manage as the 10 members r at different level of development n may be tempted to side one super power over the other for individual country's gains!!
It has shown itself in the recent inability to issue a common united communique on South China Seas struggle with China.
Let's see how the politics will work out!!
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